Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to systems and methods for transferring fuel into a fuel container, such as the fuel tank of a vehicle.
Background of the Related Art
Vehicles of various types may be powered by an internal combustion engine that consumes a fuel, such as gasoline or diesel fuel. Each vehicle carries a supply of fuel in a fuel tank, which must be replenished from time-to-time with use of the vehicle. Refueling of the vehicle typically occurs at a gas station having one or more fuel dispensers. A vehicle operator may park their vehicle adjacent to a fuel dispenser and initiate refueling. The operator may either manually control the fuel flow from a nozzle into the fuel tank or rely upon an automatic shutoff mechanism within the nozzle. While the automatic shutoff mechanism is convenient and widely used, it can sometimes trigger a shut-off of the fuel dispenser prior to the fuel tank being full. In fact, it is sometimes necessary for the operator to repeatedly restart the dispensing of fuel from the nozzle. Since it may not be possible to distinguish a false shut-off from a valid shut-off due to a full fuel tank, repeated restarting of the fuel flow can lead to overfilling the fuel tank with the excess fuel spilling onto the vehicle or pavement under the vehicle. A fuel spill can cause damage to health, property and the environment.
The selection of a fuel type to be dispensed into the fuel tank of a vehicle is a matter that is substantially controlled by the vehicle operator. Since a fuel dispenser may have the capability of dispensing various grades of gasoline and diesel, it is up to the operator to determine an appropriate fuel type for the vehicle. A careless, distracted or uninformed operator can accidentally cause extensive damage to their vehicle by using the wrong fuel type.